Lifesaving SportThe Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) is the National Governing Body for pool-based Lifesaving Sport - a sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee and the Commonwealth Games Federation. Lifesaving Sport is the only sport whose skills are first learned for humanitarian purposes. As showcased in our new promotional video, Lifesaving Sport is a competitive and dynamic international sport, with a variety of fun and challenging activities that take place in and out of the water at swimming pools and the beach. It is also an important vehicle to engage young people in lifesaving and support drowning prevention. About Lifesaving Sport Lifesaving Sport Home About Pathways The History Meet our Athletes and Coaches All Sport Awards Competitions National Speed Lifesaving Championships National Lifesaving Championships Simulated Emergency Response Championship (SERC) Rookie Lifeguard Festivals Recognised Competitions Roles Officials Coaches Team Managers Competitor Organisers Event Roles Performance GBR Lifesaving Anti Doping Transgender Policy for Sport Records & Results Apply for National Records Records Results Latest News Events RLSS UK Shop Visit Shop Lifesaving Sport Equipment Officials, Coaches and Timekeepers Essentials Getting into Lifesaving Sport Lifesaving Sport takes place in and out of water, at swimming pools, and at the beach. The sport provides variety, fun, and challenging activities for lifesavers of all ages. It can provide fantastic opportunities to mix with lifesavers from around the UK and the rest of the word through competition. It is also the only sport in the world to have a humanitarian element. You can get into Lifesaving Sport at any age - all you need is some enthusiasm as you'll learn the skills along the way! Whilst there is no requirement to take awards in Lifesaving Sport, they are an excellent place to start. Here are some of the RLSS UK Lifesaving Sport awards that are currently available... Rookie Sport - 8 to 12 years Rookie Sports Bolt-on Rookie Sports awards are a series of bolt-ons which offer a progressive introduction to Lifesaving Sport skills. Skills are broken down into sections to allow for skill development, and targets are set to support the development of fitness and speed. This award, while aimed at Rookies (8 to 12 years), can be used as an introduction for any age group. Rookie Sport: Diving This bolt-on provides a progressive introduction to diving. This award is an excellent pre-runner for the competitive start checklist (a requirement for pool based competition). Rookie Sport: Beach Running Beach Running is an experiential award to introduce Rookies to specific aspects of Lifesaving Sport. It can be completed during visits to the beach or in a suitable outside area. It is recommended that Beach Sport: Beach Running is completed after the Beach Activities Award as the Beach Activities Award provides an excellent introduction to safety at the beach. Learn more about RLSS UK's Rookie Lifeguard programme National Lifesaving Academy (NLA) - 12+ years Lifesaving Sport Awards The RLSS UK National Lifesaving Academy has a set of Sport Awards designed to challenge and develop your Lifesaving Sport skills and build your fitness. Lifesaving Sport is a unique and challenging sport, because it combines competitive swimming skills with modified rescue skills from the world of lifesaving and lifeguarding. Whilst taking the Lifesaving Sport Awards you will also develop real lifesaving skills so you will know what you do if a real-life emergency happens near you. Learn more about RLSS UK's NLA Sport Awards Competitive Start - 12+ years The competitive start competency checklist was introduced several years ago to ensure the safety of lifesavers who perform dives, especially with equipment. In October 2025, this was updated to ensure we remain aligned with ILS and World Aquatics. The skill of diving is progressively introduced, with the slow introduction of equipment. Completion of the appropriate level of diving competency is demanded for dive starts under RLSS UK rules. RLSS UK Competitive Starts RLSS UK guidance is that such competence should be demonstrated by achieving the standard of the RLSS UK Diving Competency checklist. If a competitor suffers an injury while performing competitive starts, our insurers may require written confirmation of the competency of the competition and any training undertaken. Therefore, it is essential that both the Club and Instructor (who is the signatory and therefore personally responsible) keep up-to-date records regarding the competence and training of competitors. The RLSS UK Diving Competency is designed to assess: The competitor’s ability to perform a safe competitive start into deep water from the side of the pool. The competitor’s ability to perform a safe competitive start into deep water from a starting platform. The competitor’s ability to perform a safe competitive start in both the above circumstances while wearing a rescue tube. The competitor’s ability to perform a safe competitive start in both the above circumstances while wearing fins. The competitor’s ability to perform a safe competitive start in both the above circumstances while wearing both a rescue tube and fins. The competency checklist assesses these skills in a minimum depth of 1.8m. In water less than 1.35m deep all competitors should start in the water. This diving competency checklist should be completed before every competition. Resources Diving Competency Guidance Notes Diving Competency Checklist Manage Cookie Preferences